Central Coast Community Energy Service Begins For All Eligible Electricity Customers In Carpinteria, Goleta And Santa Barbara South County Throughout October
September 30, 2021
Local Elected Officials and Community Leaders to Highlight Economic and Environmental Benefits During October 7 Celebratory Media Event
Monterey, CA. September 30, 2021 – Ushered in by 30 communities throughout the Central Coast, residential and commercial customers in Carpinteria, Goleta and Santa Barbara South County begin receiving service from Central Coast Community Energy (CCCE) throughout the month of October 2021. In January 2022, eligible customers within the City of Buellton will enroll in CCCE service to conclude all scheduled enrollments and bring the total number of customers served by CCCE to over 440,000 within a service area that stretches from Santa Cruz County to Santa Barbara County.
As a community-owned electricity provider, Central Coast Community Energy’s focus on clean energy and local control already provides 395,000 Central Coast customers access to competitively priced electricity that powers additional economic and environmental benefits.
As a public agency committed to community engagement, CCCE also provides customers with regular opportunities to participate in public meetings that steer the course of the agency’s substantial GHG emission reduction efforts and community reinvestments; $1.1 billion in long-term renewable energy and storage project contracts and $26 million in CCCE Energy Program funding since launching in 2018.
CCCE’s newest customers will gain immediate access to local rebates and incentives through innovative Energy Programs designed to reduce regional emissions and assist residential and commercial customers with the transition from fossil fuel sources to clean-energy solutions. Each year, CCCE dedicates revenue toward a suite of Energy Programs targeting the Central Coast region’s biggest contributors to GHG emissions; the transportation, building, and agriculture sectors. To date, Energy Programs have funded important community resources such as access to new and used EVs, private and public EV charging stations, zero-emission electric school buses, electric agricultural equipment such as tractors and forklifts, and all-electric new construction for housing developments. The next round of CCCE Energy Programs kicks off this October and November.
“Joining Central Coast Community Energy provides more opportunities for residents and businesses, and a first ever choice.” said Kyle Richards, City Councilmember of Goleta and CCCE Policy Board Member. “We are proud to offer our residents a new energy option with CCCE: a proven agency with competitive rates, sourcing clean and renewable energy, and funding local energy programs.”
For all participating communities, CCCE service represents a first-ever choice and alternative to receiving electricity service solely from investor-owned utilities (IOUs) such as SCE. As one of 24 Community Choice Energy agencies serving more than 11 million customers throughout California, CCCE works in partnership with IOUs. In their respective service areas, PG&E or SCE continue delivering electricity, maintaining infrastructure, and providing one consolidated monthly bill including CCCE electric generation charges which replaces the IOU’s electric generation charge. CCCE will now manage electric generation; how and where electricity is generated and what types of energy are sourced.
Both the economic and environmental benefits that CCCE provides are anchored in a commitment to not just sourcing electricity from clean and renewable sources but growing those resources in ways that contribute to grid stability and support customers and communities with the transition from fossil fuel sources to clean energy solutions, accelerating progress towards California’s ambitious climate goals. As California’s largest community choice energy agency by geographic footprint, CCCE has already energized significant economic and environmental progress in Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz Counties, parts of San Luis Obispo County and Northern Santa Barbara County.
“Joining Central Coast Community Energy allows our community to receive the benefits of choice, local control, competitive rates and ways to significantly reduce local and regional greenhouse gas emissions,” stated Das Williams, County of Santa Barbara Supervisor and CCCE Policy Board Chair. “I’m proud to be a board member of CCCE, representing our community and witnessing the innovative solutions CCCE is capable of providing to the communities it serves.”
CCCE Electric generation charges will first appear on electricity bills beginning in November. Customers will continue receiving only one electric bill from SCE, which includes both SCE charges for transmission and distribution and as well as CCCE charges for electric generation. CCCE Electric Generation Charges replace SCE’s generation charges. Moving forward, SCE will only charge for electric transmission and distribution.
Central Coast Community Energy has gone a step further of California’s SB100 goal of 100% zero-carbon energy by 2045 by committing to 60% clean and renewable energy by 2025 and 100% clean and renewable energy by 2030; 15 years ahead of California’s goal. CCCE has already invested $1.1 billion in long-term renewable energy contracts and has a request for offers out for long-duration storage for renewable energy, all of which improve the reliability of renewable resources in California.
“Our expansion to serve the majority of the Central Coast marks an important transition in Central Coast Community Energy’s development as a community choice energy agency,” shares CCCE CEO, Tom Habashi. “This expansion supports the value of local control, acceleration of clean and renewable resources plus meaningful investment in local energy programs to reduce GHG emissions. In 2021 and beyond, CCCE will now serve over 440,000 customers in 4 counties and 29 cities along the California Central Coast.”
CCCE service will begin for all electricity customers in enrolling communities throughout October except for Net Energy Metering solar and wind customers who will enroll in January 2022. Each enrolling customer will receive a total of four notifications via USPS or email; two notices prior to their service beginning and two after service begins. These enrollment notifications highlight who CCCE is, what the change means for customers, how the enrollment process will unfold and what benefits customers can look forward to. As part of an ongoing outreach and advertising effort, CCCE’s Public Engagement team continues to be available to answer questions and address concerns via live residential and commercial webinars offered in both English and Spanish, phone and email.
Enrolling residents and businesses are encouraged to learn more and attend free online webinars and ask live questions. All enrollment information and virtual events are available here: https://3cenergy.org/2021-enrollment/ including recorded webinars for residential and commercial customers and upcoming live webinars in November.
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About Central Coast Community Energy
Central Coast Community Energy (CCCE) is a public agency that sources competitively priced electricity from clean and renewable energy resources. CCCE is locally controlled and governed by board members who represent each community served by the agency. Revenue generated by CCCE stays local and helps keep electricity rates affordable for customers, while also funding innovative energy programs designed to lower greenhouse gas emissions and stimulate economic development. CCCE serves 436,000 customers throughout the Central Coast, including residential, commercial and agricultural customers in communities located within Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz counties. Learn more at 3CEnergy.org and on social media, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @3CEnergy.
Central Coast Community Energy | CCCE
Shelly Whitworth
Senior Energy Media Specialist
Tel: +1-831-229-0277
swhitworth@3CE.org
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